


Starfall Farm

by OrionRedde, Shyrstyne



Series: Cometverse [68]
Category: Kingdom Hearts, Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Mentions of past abuse, Nonbinary Character, healing through farming, tags and warnings to be updated as we go, warning: too fucking cute for words sometimes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-01-23 03:53:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21313741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrionRedde/pseuds/OrionRedde, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shyrstyne/pseuds/Shyrstyne
Summary: You and your son move out to the middle of nowhere to escape and heal. You meet old friends, make new ones, and ultimately try to figure out this whole independent auditing business out while raising your son. Luckily, the locals are nice enough to help.
Relationships: Original Character/Lea/Isa, original character & Vanitas
Series: Cometverse [68]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1285373
Comments: 14
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> -crawls in- sorry for the long wait, guys! Shyrstyne’s been traveling, and I’ve been Struggling with my fifth goddamn year of college as well as some other things. Like actually writing. Anyway, I’ve been cooking this and waffling over posting it now or waiting until I’ve written a bit more than what I’ve got. Anywho! Enjoy!

Your name is Comet, you are twenty-ish years old, and you’re about to make the riskiest decision you’ve ever made in your life. Your hands shake as you pack a backpack with as many essentials as you can carry. Your five-year-old son, Vanitas, sits quietly next to you, his own tiny knapsack already packed.

A change of clothes? Check.

Meds? Check.

Essential toiletries? Check.

A bag of all the gold left in your bank account that your  _ loving  _ parents have been “handling” for you? Check.

The deed of your grandfather’s farm? Check.

You don’t have any mementos you want to keep from this place.

You look to your son. Your heart aches at his solemn expression. This is for him as much as it is for you, if not more than.

You shoulder your backpack and stand, holding your hand out for Vanitas to take. He grasps your fingers as tightly as his little hand can manage. Slowly, silently, the two of your creep out of your childhood home. You can’t resist the urge to spit on the porch before walking away. Vanitas sticks his tongue out and blows a silent raspberry.

You jog down the road, listening to the familiar sounds of the middle of fucking nowhere slowly waking up. The only light is from the few barely-working street lamps lining the dusty roads. The air is cool and clean, for now. Once the sun rises the trees will bloom and thicken the air with their pollen. Your light jacket protects you from the chill of the air.

It takes you almost thirty minutes to reach the bus stop.

Somebody’s there.

“Mrs. Thorne,” You greet, instinctively hiding Van behind you. “What’re you doing here.”

Your old teacher looks at you sternly. She reaches into the pocket of her jacket and pulls out two tickets. You swallow, mouth dry.

“I’m doing something right, for once,” Mrs. Thorne whispers. She steps forward and firmly presses the tickets into your hand, using both of hers to hold it tightly. She looks up at you, eyes flashing. “You have always been bright, Comet,” she rasps, knuckles white with the force of her grip. “This town has been nothing but poison to you. I pray that wherever you go, you find the safety and happiness you and your son deserve.”

Funny. Your face feels hot and tight.

The bus rumbles to a stop next to you. Vanitas gently tugs on your shirt. Mrs. Thorne releases your hand.

“Go now,” she commands. “And I hope I never see you here again.”

The bus ride is three days long. You and your son hide in the back row of the bus the entire time. You scrimp your money as much as possible, buying filling snacks and using the public water fountains to refill bottles. You don’t speak to anyone, and nobody speaks to you. Vanitas remains quiet tucked into your side, quietly entertaining himself with the small coloring book and pencils you managed to sneak for him.

You’re on the verge of a panic attack the entire journey. Everybody has a connection to your parents, a plant, a tail to follow you and ruin whatever new beginning you can scrape from the scraps left behind by your grandfather-

Deep breaths, Comet. Almost there.

You look out the window and see the sign.

Pelican Town. Three miles.

Your son snuffles in his sleep, nuzzling closer to you. You tighten your grip. Almost there.

Almost home.


	2. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Comet and Vanitas arrive at Pelican Town.

“Wake up, bubba,” you coo, gently shaking Vanitas. “We’re here.”

Vanitas yawns widely, nose scrunching adorably. You can’t resist a quick boop. Vanitas scowls at you, eyebrows scrunched and lips pouted. You smooth back his hair and stand. Vanitas hops off his seat and grabs your hand. The two of you silently walk down the bus.

“Good luck, kid,” the driver, the same one who’d picked you up from There, murmurs. You nod at him and disembark, helping Vanitas wobble down the steps. He crouches and leaps off the last step. He looks up at you with a pleased grin. Your lips quirk in a half-smile before you force yourself to smooth your expression.

Deep breath.

Shoulders back.

Fresh start.

You step forward.

“Hello!”

You tense, heart thudding in your throat. Vanitas immediately hides behind you. A woman approaches you from the fence just ahead. Her blue hair is held back by a patterned bandana, and her denim overalls are covered in sawdust. She approaches you with easy confidence.

This makes you suspicious. What the hell does she want?

“You must be Comet!” The woman greets with a smile. “I’m Aqua. Nice to have another girl in town.”

_ God. Damn it, _ you hiss to yourself. You clench your jaw. 

“I’m nonbinary,” you grit out, keeping your expression neutral. “They/them pronouns.”

“...oh,” Aqua squeaks, blushing slightly. “I’m sorry! I’ll remember from now on.”

You don’t reply. Maybe she will, maybe she won’t. You won’t bother wasting energy on the thought.

“Anyway,” Aqua continues, shaking herself slightly. “I’m the local carpenter along with my husband, Terra. Mayor Merlin sent me over to take you to your new home! He’s already there making sure everything is in working order for you. The farm’s this way! Please follow me!”

As if you didn’t fucking know where your  _ childhood sanctuary was  _ what a presumptuous-

Calm down, Comet. She’s not an enemy. You’re just on edge. Deep breath, baby.

Thankfully, Aqua doesn’t say anything else on the walk over. Vanitas sticks close to you, keeping hidden from sight. You keep your eyes on Aqua’s back, unwilling to look away from the possible threat. 

Eventually, you enter the farm.

“Well, here it is!” Aqua chirps. “Starfall Farm!”

_ Oh my fucking GOD!  _ You can’t help a startled gasp.  _ What the hell happened?! _

“Yeah, it’s overgrown for sure,” Aqua sighs. “But there’s good soil beneath all of that! Just a bit of sweat and elbow grease and you should be able to clear enough to get started.”

She leads you to the old, familiar cabin a little further in. It looks a lot better than when you last saw it. Did somebody fix it up?

The door opens, and out steps the Mayor.

“Ah! Comet!” Mayor Merlin greets you, eyes twinkling merrily over his wireframe glasses. He cheerfully skips down the steps of the porch. You remember Merlin well. You could always count on Merlin for a cup of tea and a story. The old man trots up to you, arms open in invitation.

You hesitate only slightly before stepping into his embrace. He smells like his favorite cologne (a subtle vetiver scent), old paper, his favorite black tea, and inexplicably like mouthwash. Your face crumples and you tuck your head into his shoulder, gripping his sweater to ground yourself. Merlin grips you just as tightly, tangling his fingers into your hair.

“Welcome home, my dear,” Merlin murmurs, and you choke on a sob, eyes feeling hot. 

_ Pull yourself together, Comet, there’s a stranger nearby and you need to watch out for Van, _ you remember. You savor the hug a little longer before making yourself step back. Merlin gives you a gentle smile as you do. You manage to quirk your lips at him but can’t look at him for long.

“So who’s this?” Aqua abruptly asks, crouching down. Your blood freezes. You reach a hand back just enough to brush against Vanitas’ head, reassuring him and yourself that he’s safe and that you’re here. Merlin leans to the side just enough to give your son a jolly grin. Vanitas grips your jeans and gives the strange adults a wary look.

“This is my son,” you manage. “His name is Vanitas.”

“Oh! I have a boy your age!” Aqua gushes with a pleased smile. “I’m sure the two can be friends!”

You swallow down something bitter and sour. Well, look who had it easy. Obviously successful with her own  _ fucking  _ business and a  _ fucking  _ husband who loves her and a son and she obviously had more support and-

You force yourself to breathe and fight down the smog crawling out of your lungs.

“Maybe,” you grit out. You don’t notice the sad look Merlin gives you.

“Well, I better get going,” Aqua says after a pause. “Nice meeting you Comet!” And she walks off. Good fucking riddance. You relax when the stranger is gone. Vanitas, sensing your state of ease, works up the courage to step out slightly from behind you to get a good look at Merlin.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, my boy!” Merlin enthuses. “You look just like your Ren, you know!”

“...really?” Vanitas asks, voice barely over a whisper. You suppress a wince. Vanitas didn’t look much like you  _ or  _ his supposed father, according to Them. Neither you nor his sperm donor had his hair or eye color, and some of his features didn’t match up. It had been yet another shot in your former community’s gun.

“Of course you do!” Merlin exclaims. “You have the same eye shape, the same ears,  _ and  _ you have their dimples!” Vanitas hides an embarrassed grin in your leg, but, sure enough, you can see the dimples in his cheeks. “You are a near spitting image of Comet, in my opinion.”

“Thank you,” you murmur to Merlin, voice thick.

“For what?” Merlin hums, giving you a kind look. He checks his watch. “Unfortunately, I must be going as well. So much paperwork to do, and Marigold will be cross with me if I put it off any longer than I have. Do stop by for tea soon! I’m sure my dear Mari remembers how to make your favorites.”

“I’d love to,” you answer. “See you around, Pops.”

“Until the morrow!” Merlin chirps as he walks down the path. You watch him go before looking down at your son.

“Who was he?” Vanitas asks, head tilted.

“That was Merlin,” you tell him as you take his hand and lead him up to the cottage. “He’s my wizard grandpa.”

“Oh yeah!” Vanitas gasps, recalling your whispered tales of your childhood summers. “The, the one with the dancing teapot?”

“The very same,” you confirm. “Now, let’s explore our new home, yeah?”

“Yes.”

You walk up the steps and open the door. 

“We’re home,” you call out softly, gripping Vanitas’ hand tightly as you look into the cottage. The cottage started out as a one room shack back in the day, but Grandpa and Grandma had added on as the years went by. The large central room serves as the mix between a living room and a dining room. There’s a couch and an arm chair directly in front of the fireplace, unlit for the warm spring. To the left is the first add on - a small, functional kitchen, with a small table and a couple chairs in the space between kitchen and couch. To the right of the living room are a couple doors - one leading to the bedroom, and the other to the bathroom. Your memory tells you that the bedroom and bathroom are also connected by a door. Vanitas cautiously lets go of your hand and creeps forward to explore. You nod encouragingly when he looks back at you for assurance.

While Vanitas trots off to explore, you take in your  _ home. _ Some of the floorboards have been repaired, the walls repainted, some corners freshly caulked, but the furniture is the same. That’s the couch you fell asleep on, Grandpa speaking lowly and Grandma stroking your hair. That’s the table you colored pictures on and helped sort the smaller root vegetable with Grandma. You run your hands over the dresser next to the front door, feeling the knicks and knobs in the old wood. 

“Ren!” Vanitas pipes up next to your elbow, tugging at your sleeve. “Ren, come look!”

“What’s up?” You reply, letting him lead you into the bedroom. 

“I have my own bed!” Vanitas cheers, bouncing excitedly. Sure enough, there are two beds in the bedroom. One for you, and one for Vanitas. Vanitas crawls up on the bed with the dark red blanket, faceplanting into the pillow. You huff a short laugh and sit down on the other bed, this one with a deep green blanket. The beds are new, but the rest of the furniture is not. The dresser and standing closet bring back memories of dressing in your grandparents’ old clothes - Grandma’s old line-dancing skirts and Grandpa’s vests and ties. You set your bag down on your bed and get up to check the closet out. You know there’s nothing in there, but you can’t suppress a silent sigh of disappointment when you open it and find that it’s empty. Oh, well. Maybe Merlin and Marigold know where your grandparents’ stuff went.

To complete the tour, you poke your head into the bathroom. Toilet, sink, and a bathtub with a shower head attached. A small rack for towels and a cabinet for linens. Thankfully, there are some clean towels already in there.

Everything looks in place.

“You wanna go explore outside with me?” You ask Vanitas.

“Yeh,” Vanitas grunts, rolling off of his bed. 

The afternoon is winding down by the time the two of you go outside. You grab a flashlight in case it gets dark by the time you want to go back. Vanitas grabs a stick and walks up ahead, swinging his stick viciously through thick weeds. You wander west, towards the decrepit greenhouse. Vanitas doesn’t stray too far, keeping you in his line of sight. You briefly poke around the greenhouse ruins, warning Vanitas to stay out of it so he doesn’t hurt himself on the glass shards. 

“Ren, what is it?” Vanitas asks on the threshold of the ruins.

“This was a greenhouse,” you explain, poking around the edges, mournfully examining rotted wood and rusted metal frame. “Gramps would grow all sorts of stuff out of season in here.”

“Can we fix it?” 

“I don’t think we can,” you sigh. “Maybe someday.”

You pick your way out of the wreck and continue going west, Vanitas at your heels. You come across a thick wooded area. Looks like nature  _ really  _ took over while you were gone. You softly click your fingers, just barely audible, and Vanitas immediately trots over, alert. You smile slightly at him, a signal that there wasn’t anything hostile. You just want to show him what’s here.

“This is important,” you tell him. “Stay close.” 

Vanitas takes your hand immediately, shuffling closer to you. Picking up a stick of your own, you push aside ferns and brush as you lead Vanitas deeper into the woods. Vanitas swishes his own stick through some grass.

“Ah, it’s still here,” you hum, stepping out between two trees and into a small grove. Before you is a stone shrine. Four white candles rest in small holders around the inscription on the headstone. The inscription has your grandparents names, their birthdates, and their death dates. 

There’s a piece of paper?

You walk forward and pick it up.

_ Wait for my return at the dawn of the 3rd year,  _ is written in Grandpa’s sloping handwriting. 

What the fuck?

“What’s this?” Vanitas whispers, reminding you of why you were here. You turn, tucking the paper into your jacket pocket, and smile at him.

“Van, love,” you murmur back, placing a hand on the shrine, feeling the sun-warmed stone, “these are my grandparents - Nana Bruna and Grampa Russ. Wanna say hello?”

Vanitas shyly shuffles up next to you and puts his own tiny hand on the shrine.

“Hi, Nana. Hi, Grampa,” he mumbles. “Thank you for the farm.”

“Thanks, Grampa,” you repeat. “We’ll take good care of it.”

Your eyes burn, old grief squeezing around your throat. You sniffle, taking your hand away from the shrine to wipe your eyes. Vanitas grabs your hand and leans his head against it.

“I miss you both,” you confess, the words exploding out of you in a barely restrained sob. “I miss you both  _ so  _ much. But-” You inhale, forcing yourself to straighten up, to lift your chin. “-but things’ll get better, now. I’m here, and I have my son with me, and we’ll get better. We’re gonna clean this place up, make it a home again.”

“Yeah!” Vanitas barks. “We’re gonna- we’re gonna grow  _ so many things!  _ Like- like pumpkins! And green beans! And- and flowers! Lots of flowers.”

“You wanna grow flowers, Van?” You ask as you lead him away from the shrine.

“Yes!” Vanitas enthuses. “Like tulips! And- and spangles!”

“Then as soon as we can, I'll help you set up some flowers,” you promise him, heart quivering at the bright grin he beams up at you.

“And bees?” He asks hopefully.

“Okay, we’ll have to talk about the bees,” you laugh. “I have no idea how to take care of bees, yet.”

“Beeeeeees!” Vanitas crows, swinging your hand.

“Beeeeeees!” You repeat, swooping down and lifting Vanitas into your arms, spinning and laughing. Vanitas squeals and grips your neck, giggling brightly. The air is cool and damp, and smells like greenery and life. It feels safe, and familiar.

_ I’m home,  _ you think to yourself, laughing as you chase Vanitas all the way back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comet's got a lot of survival instincts to work through if they wanna make friends, yeah?


	3. Settling in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First day on the farm

You are rudely awoken by your alarm clock blaring in your ear. Groaning, you roll over and smack your hand on top of it, blindly feeling around until you click the off button. Vanitas, smushed between your back and the wall, snuffles and curls up tighter. You lean over and gently kiss his forehead. Your baby sighs and snuggles deeper into the covers. You let him. You figure you’ll wake him up when you have food prepared.

Aw, fuck.

Food.

With another, grumpier groan you get out of bed and head to the living room. You’d placed all your remaining provisions out on the table for easy finding, but it just highlights the almost desperate straits you were in. Stars help you! How the hell are you gonna feed Vanitas, much less yourself?

You swallow a distressed whimper as you look over the pitiful pile of meal bars, nuts, and jerky. You swallow and force yourself to pick out a protein bar, reluctantly biting off one end. It tastes like mud in your mouth, but you force yourself to swallow. You restlessly pace the living room, trying not to panic. You look at the cupboards, not daring to open them and drive yourself into a panic. Don’t panic, Comet. You’ll figure something out. You know how to forage, and surely you can borrow a fishing pole or work one off for protein.

You open the fridge before you can stop yourself.

“Oh my  _ God _ ,” you gasp.

The fridge is  _ completely stocked. _

You fall to your knees, tears springing in the corners of your eyes. Fresh fruits, veggies, a jug of milk, a quart of juice, and a carton of eggs are what you can take in before your vision blurs. You cover your face with a hand, trying to pull yourself together before you wake Vanitas up. Hands shaking, you close the fridge and open the freezer. You give an incredulous if delighted laugh at the small box of popsicles inside with some meats and ready-meals. You open the cabinets and find cereal, dried noodles, crackers, pancake mix, canned goods, flour, sugar - dear Lord, there’s  _ everything  _ in there! You back up to sit on the table, both hands pressed to your mouth. You are  _ overwhlemed _ . Who… who did this?

You see a note discreetly tucked between two boxes of cereal (corn flakes and some sort of sugar abomination Vanitas will surely love) and carefully tug it out and read it.

_ Hello, neighbor! _

_ I figured I’d make it a little easier to settle in and got you some food! The whole town wanted to pitch in with their own groceries, but I figured you would want actual food and not thirty different flavors of instant noodles or TV dinners. They still helped pay and carry stuff, though! Hope this helps ease some worry! If you need anything - anything from a project to just needing somebody to talk to - you’re more than welcome to call (my number is (xxx) xxx-xxxx) or come see me at my shop/house. There’s a trail that leads up to the mountains, as well as a path to my home. Stop by sometime! I’ll be happy to see you! _

_ Good luck! _

_ Aqua _

Hot shame blooms in your chest. You’d been so  _ rude  _ to her, and assumed she was being an airheaded fake like everybody at ho- back There. You grit your teeth. You’re not There anymore, Comet. You’re somewhere new, somewhere that They never touched or have power over. Let the poison  _ go. _

You take a deep breath, imagining all the toxic thoughts and hurt blowing out with your exhale. You’ll do better. You reexamine what she said yesterday, how she acted and moved. Maybe she  _ was  _ genuine. Maybe she  _ did  _ mean to be welcoming, and to be better with your pronouns.

Then… then she’s a nice person. Maybe even a friend?

These thoughts are too deep this early in the morning. You need to make breakfast.

Wiping your face and finishing your protein bar in one painful gulp (wasting food is bad), you take down the pancake mix and a large bowl and place a pan on one of the burners, setting the dial to low heat. While that warms, you scoop equal parts pancake mix and water into the bowl and whisk it until there are no lumps. Then, after testing to see if the pan is hot enough with a couple drops of water, you pour out a measure of batter onto the pan. 

Pancakes were quick and easy to make, back There. A small, secret treat between you and your son. You heart eases at the thought of it no longer being secret. Now you can have pancakes as many times as you want. You try to make a Mickey Mouse shaped pancake on a whim. It’s a little lopsided, but it’s the thought that counts.

Hell, maybe you’ll make chocolate chip pancakes someday.

The thought almost drives you to tears again but you manage to stay upright.

“Ren?”

You turn your head and can’t help but smile. Vanitas shuffles in, blanket wrapped around his shoulders like a cloak. He yawns widely, showing the gaps in his baby teeth, and presses his face against your thigh. You ruffle his hair and go back to flipping pancakes. 

“Where’d the pancakes come from?” Van asks sleepily.

“Apparently, Aqua brought it,” you tell him. 

“She seemed nice,” Van mumbles. “I like her.”

“Mmh,” you hum in response. Your son had a good instinct when it came to people. If he says that Aqua seems nice, then she very well may be.

You gently poke Vanitas into sitting at the table and set a plate of pancakes in front of him. There’s butter in the fridge as well as a small jug of maple syrup. You set those out as well, and grab the peanut butter for yourself. You could kiss Aqua for the orange juice - not too pulpy, not too sweet. 

You enjoy breakfast quietly, Vanitas humming happily as he gulps down his orange juice. You mentally go over what needs to be done today. Well, you need to see if you actually have farming tools, for one. Then, once you have the tools, you’ll need to clear out some land and get to planting. It’s early spring and warm enough to start growing things.

You clean up your mess, Vanitas doing his level best to help even if he can’t quite reach the counter, and get ready for the day. You lace up your boots (a last minute, secret purchase, and worth every coin) and adjust your old softball cap. Vanitas proudly shows that, yes, he can put his boots on all by himself. You give this accomplishment the praise it deserves and open the door.

The farm is still a wreck, showing every year neglected in its rubble and rotting logs and thick weeds. But now it seems more doable, a reachable goal instead of an impossible haven. You nod firmly to yourself. 

“Alright, baby, I have a job for you,” you tell your son. Vanitas straightens up, puffing his little chest out. You resist the urge to coo. “I need you to go scout out the land, see if you can find anything really cool out there. But  _ stay in sight.  _ Good?”

“Good!” Vanitas accepts. “Can I take my backpack with me?”

“Just don’t put anything wet in there,” you caution. “I haven’t checked the washroom yet.”

“Okay, Ren,” Vanitas says. “Love you.”

“Love you, too,” you reply, bending down to kiss his head. “Don’t forget your water bottle. Let me know if you need anything.”

Old insecurity and anxiety says you should keep Vanitas as close as possible, but old memories assure you that there’s nothing dangerous on the farmland. The worst thing that could happen is him tripping on a rock or falling into one of the ponds on the property, and he knows to stay close by. Reassured, you make your way to the toolshed slightly behind the house.

“Worst that happens I’ll have to commission some new tools,” you mutter to yourself as you fiddle with the old lock. “Or would trying to repair old ones be more expensive? Anything in here is probably rusty as hell anyway.”

You open the shed.

Hung on the tool racks are the tools - a pickaxe, a hoe, a scythe, and an ax - and the watering can rests on the workbench just next to the door. They’re all shiny, gleaming new. You stare, dumbfounded. Next to the watering can is a small package with a note on top. You numbly take the note and read it.

_ Can’t farm without tools. Seeds are from Lauriam at the general store. Let me know if you need tool repairs or upgrades. _

_ Welcome to the Valley. _

_ -Aeleus _

God, these people are just going to  _ kill  _ you with how kind they’re being. You have to take a moment to lean against the doorway and breathe through the emotions clogging your airways. You wipe off the fresh tears and grab the tools you can carry, dragging them towards the front porch where you can find them as needed. You count the seed packets, assuming about a packet per square feet of soil, and guessing that  _ maybe  _ you can plant six or eight plots of parsnips. A decent start, and you have enough gold to go buy more later if you feel up to it.

Just gotta clear the land first.

“Marco!” You yell out over the property.

“Polo!” Vanitas calls back, shaggy head just poking out over a cluster of bushes a few yards away.

“Thank you!” You reply. Vanitas gives you a thumbs up and goes back to digging in the dirt around the bushes. Looking at the mess in front of you, you heave a deep sigh.

No reward without effort.

You take up the pickaxe and get started.

It takes you  _ hours _ to get enough land cleared for your planned crop. The time is lengthened mostly because you got too into the rhythm of breaking rocks and chopping wood and cutting weeds and the next thing you know it’s past noon and you’ve cleared out most of the northern quarter of your farm of debris. Vanitas, copying you no doubt, scolds you for working for too long and makes you sit on the porch. He importantly brings you water and a ham sandwich he managed to put together himself. Your heart aches at how capable he already is (he’s too young!) but you ruffle his hair and thank him. He beams proudly and eagerly shows you what he found while you were working.

“Those are leeks,” you tell him when he holds up a white tuber for your inspection. “Pretty tasty. I’ll have to see if I can remember how to cook them, or if Nana left any notes.

“Oh, dandelions! If we have any vinegar, I can make a salad. No, you don’t have to eat it. Yes, I can add meat to it.

“Horseradish. You might like it.

“Oh, you found some daffodils! Here, let me show you how to braid the stems. Gimme some dandelions, please?”

Vanitas absolutely loves his new flower crown. His mushrooms are also good finds for dinner, but the soda cans (and  _ especially  _ the beer cans) and broken CDs have you seething even as you carefully tell Vanitas why he shouldn’t pick that kind of trash up. Who the  _ fuck  _ thinks it’s okay to leave shit like that? Disrespecting an old home with their  _ garbage?! _ There’s kids in this town, for fucks sake!

Fucking tourists.

You find your old pair of gardening gloves in the shed (how they survived this long you’ll never know) and give them to your son, telling him to wear these if he’s going to pick up trash. You also find an old feed sack and give that to him as well. You can’t stop him from picking things up, but you can hopefully prevent a trip to the hospital. Vanitas takes his new gear with much ceremony and pomp and then promptly dashes off to find more trash, because now he has a Mission.

Adorable.

Refreshed from your lunch break, you bring out the hoe and dig into the dirt. If the clearing out didn’t kink your back, the hoeing sure does. You still find tiny rocks in the dirt, and you have to stop often to pick them out as well as chunks of useless clay and throw them aside. Your hair sticks to the back of your neck, your arms hurt, your feet burn where surely new blisters are forming, and your fingers are going to be stiff as hell later.

But…

The wind blows, cooling the sweat from your skin. Your son giggles as he splashes in a pond nearby. You can smell something green and floral, tree pollen, maybe. The sky is a  _ breathtaking  _ blue, with fluffy clouds ponderously drifting across the expanse.

At the edge of your senses, you hear melodious chirping.

Strange. You don’t recognize that bird call.

You wipe off the sweat from your upper lip and grab your water bottle, carefully sipping so you don’t get sick. The upturned soil is only a few feet away from your house, both for convenience and your own peace of mind. You still can’t get the thought of sabotage out of your head. But you don’t want to clear all that land for  _ nothing. _

“Vanitas!” You call. “Didn’t you want to help me with the seeds?”

There’s an exultant yell and your boy comes tearing from between the trees, just barely keeping from running into a fallen long on his way to you. You laugh and crouch, arms open. Vanitas leans forward and sprints the rest of the way to you, head down and arms pumping.

“Gotcha!” You crow, ignoring your aching muscles as you catch your baby in your arms, throwing him up into the air to hear him cackle before catching him in a tight hug. Vanitas smashes his mouth against your cheek in a sloppy wet kiss before wiggling to be let down. You laugh and let him down gently.

“Seeds!” Vanitas chirps, bouncing excitedly at your feet. “Seeds, seeds, seeds, seeds, seeds!”

“Oh?” You hum, putting one hand to your chin. “You want to plant the seeds?” 

“Yeah! Yeah yeah yeah!”

“You gonna plant them good?”

“Yeah!”

“Carefully?”

“Yeah yeah!”

“And not just throw the-”

“Reeeeen!” Vanitas whines, tugging at your capris. “Please?”

“Alright!” You giggle, holding out half of the seed packets. “You can plant these. One packet for each square I’ve marked. Okay?”

“Okay, Ren!” Vanitas promises, eagerly grabbing the seed packets. “And then I can water them all, right?”

“Sure,” you agree, seeing no harm in it. “I’ll fill the can up for you, okay?”

“Okay! I’m gonna plant the seeds now!”

“Go ahead,” you chuckle, watching fondly as your son crouches down next to a square and starts carefully poking seeds into the dirt. You quickly plant your own seeds and take the watering can to one of the ponds, filling it up about halfway so Vanitas can actually carry it. You sit on the porch, the watering can next to you, and watch Vanitas plant his half of the seeds. 

“Done!” He chirps, bouncing upright. “Can I water them now?”

“All filled up and ready, cap’n,” you drawl, gently patting the handle. “Go right ahead.”

Vanitas eagerly takes the can and starts watering. He gives the watering the same amount of attention as the planting, brows furrowed and tongue poking out slightly in concentration. You prop your chin in one hand and watch, unable to help a smile. When he’s done, Vanitas carries the can back to the porch and sets it at the bottom of the steps. Then he dramatically throws himself on the steps, groaning.

“Tired, bud?” You ask, carding your fingers through his sweaty hair.

“Yeeeaaah,” Vanitas whines. “Is today over? Can we go back inside now?”

“Yeah, I think I’m done for today,” you muse, looking over the new plot of crops. “Unless you wanna go into town?”

“Nope!”

“Then we’re done,” you confirm. You clap your hands. “Good work today, team! Excellent job with trash collecting and farming, Vanitas. Full marks.”

“Good job breaking rocks!” Vanitas exclaims, sitting up on his elbows. “You looked so cool!”

“Gawrsh,” you simper, flapping a hand. “Now let’s get inside and get clean, yeah?”

“Yeah!”

You spend the rest of the day sprawled out on the floor with your son, coloring and eating ice cream (after dinner of course).

Not a bad first day, in your opinion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did y'all know writing a slice of life game fic is hard? Bc it's really hard, actually.


	4. Venturing Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> can't put off running errands forever, comet. gotta go get more seeds.

Four days after you move in, you can no longer put it off. You have to go to town and get more seeds. The parsnips are a good start, and there’s something innocently exciting about the mixed seeds you find in the weeds, but you’d like to have  _ some  _ structure to your farm. That means actually buying seeds. 

You have to leave the safety of your farm and submit to the horrible condition of being known.

“Okay, you ready?” You ask Vanitas.

“Ready,” your son confirms, zipping up his jacket. “Let’s kick this pig!”

You snort a laugh and step out into the midmorning air. 

The walk into town isn’t too long, about twenty minutes at most. You resolutely stare straight ahead as you pass by the bus stop. Tiny anxieties chew at the edges of your mind, and you’re not going to give them any fuel today. 

Thankfully, nobody is around when you step onto the old but well-kept cobblestone path of Pelican Town. Vanitas instinctively shuffles closer to you, one hand gripping your hand while the other latches onto your pants. You power walk down the street to where you remember the general store being. It has since changed hands, but the green cloth awning and the old notice board are familiar enough to ease some of the tightness in your chest. 

You take a deep breath and open the door. You heart stutters at the tinkling of the bell.

“Welcome,” a warm voice calls from the counter.

“Hello,” you reply, struggling to keep your voice even. Manners dictate that you approach the counter. You try to keep your jaw unclenched as you walk up to the register.

“You must be the new farmer,” the man behind the counter says, smiling. “I’m Lauriam. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“I’m Comet, they/them,” you say. “Nice to meet you. Thank you for the seeds.”

“It was my pleasure!” Lauriam laughs, eyes sparkling as his grin widens. “I have plenty more seeds in stock. I have different seeds every season, so be sure to check in often. Let me know if you need anything!”

“Okay, thank you,” you manage before absconding into the depths of the shelves. Vanitas shuffles to keep out of Lauriam’s notice, wary around a new stranger. You manage to find the seeds easily enough and, after bashfully going back up front to grab a basket, grab a few more parsnip seeds and a few packets of potato and cauliflower seeds. You thoughtfully eye the trellises for green beans, but you figure you’ll save them for later.

Now you have to go buy the seeds in basket.

You have to go back to Lauriam, talk to him, buy the seeds, take the money from your wallet give it to him buy the seeds step step step out the door-

The shelves loom over you the walls are getting closer the distance from point a to point b is insurmountable unconquerable get out get out get out-

“Comet?” A soft voice whispers, a gentle hand brushes against your shoulder.

You slam back into your body. You are intimately aware of every movement you make as you turn to look at the person next to you. You blink, feeling sluggish.

“Aqua?” You rasp. 

“Hey, neighbor,” Aqua speaks to you lowly with a gentle smile. “You okay?”

_ Yep just fine I’m just dissociating in the grocery store for no goddamn reason. _

“...probably not,” you answer truthfully.

“Is it okay if I come with you to check out?” Aqua continues, raising her own basket to show her load of groceries.

“Yeah… yeah, okay,” you agree. “Wait. Where’s Van?”

“He’s with my son, Ventus, looking at Lauriam’s flower display.”

“Okay… Okay…”

Aqua carefully takes your hand and tucks it into the crook of her elbow. You grip her bicep, trying to still the shaking of your hands. The world feels like it’s vibrating and tunnelling away from you at the same time. It takes all of your remaining willpower to keep your breathing steady. Your heartbeat manages to slow when you spot Vanitas looking at some flowers with a blond kid. Probably Ventus.

Okay. Okay. You can do this.

You bring your shoulders back and lift your chin, drawing encouragement from the solid woman by your side. You can do this! Anxiety ain’t shit!

Lauriam looks up from his book with a smile as you and Aqua approach his counter.

“Find everything you needed?” He asks.

“Y-yes,” you manage, gently placing your basket on the counter. “Thank you.”

“Thank  _ you!”  _ Lauriam hums, quickly adding up your total as he places your seeds into a paper sack. You wordlessly hand him the gold and take the sack from him. Aqua’s purchase goes about the same and, after a little more chitchat with Lauriam, gently leads you away. She whistles sharply, causing the blond kid to whip around.

“Ventus! Time to go, love!” Aqua calls.

“Let’s go, Van,” you say on instinct. Vanitas scrambles to his feet and is at your side near instantly, grabbing your free hand in his.

“Did you have fun looking at the flowers?” You ask him. Vanitas nods wordlessly, and you let him be.

“Is it alright if I walk with you to the farm?” Aqua asks. You find yourself surprisingly relieved at the offer. You’re not sure if you can hold yourself together long enough to make the walk.

“If that’s okay…?” You croak, suddenly hesitant. You don’t want Aqua to go out of her way for basically a stranger, neighbors or not. Something sour twists in your throat at the thought.

“It’s totally fine!” Aqua insists. “There’s a path that leads up the mountain from your farm. End up just behind my house, actually!”

“Can Vani visit sometime?” The blond kid, Ventus, speaks up from the other side of Aqua. “Or- or can  _ I  _ visit sometime? I like Vani!”

Vanitas squishes his face against your thigh shyly, but when you look down you can see his hesitant but pleading expression. How could you say no?

“I’d like if we visited first, so I know where to go if something happens,” you say. “Then you can visit later. Deal?”

“Deal!” Ventus chirps. “Mama! Vanitas is gonna come visit!”

“I heard!” Aqua laughs, winking at you. “We’ll have to make sure the house is in tip top shape when they do! And that means…?”

“Cleaning my room,” Ventus groans dramatically.

“Got it in one!” Aqua giggles, bending down slightly to gently tweak her son’s nose. “Maybe you’ll find Captain Marvel when you do.”

“Maybe!” 

Ventus fills the air with chattering as the four of you walk back to your farm. Occasionally Aqua will gently ask questions and draw you into a short but nice conversation. Her favorite color is blue, she has a critical weakness for melon cake, and in addition to her carpentry she likes making jewelry with wire and bits of glass. In return, you tell her that your favorite color is warm yellow, you like cinnamon rolls the best, and you like making all sorts of drinks and smoothies.

“I’ll see if I have a set of blueprints for kegs to get you started,” Aqua offers after that last fact. “You need a good keg to make juice, wine, and other stuff with your crops.”

“That… would be super helpful. Thank you,” you say.

“Not a problem,” she tells you, walking past your house to a path you had yet to walk down. “Now I better get home and give my little monster a bath. Would you like to arrange a visit now, give me a call later, or just show up sometime? I am okay with all three.”

“I- uh- is this Sunday okay?” You ask. “I should be finished with the farmwork early afternoon.”

“How about you come for lunch?” Aqua offers, eyes brightening. “You’ll be able to meet my husband, too! You don’t have to worry about bringing anything, okay?”

“Okay,” you agree, like a liar. You’re bringing some fresh veggies whether she likes it or not. Your next round of parsnips should be ready by then, and by golly she’s getting some.

“Wonderful!” Aqua chirps, almost bouncing slightly in her excitement. “I’ll see you then! Ventus! Time to go, bud!”

“Awww, okay!” Ventus whines from where he and Vanitas are digging around in some long grass. “Bye, Vani! I love you!” He gives your stunned boy a quick hug and runs up to his mom, taking her hand. “Bye bye, Comet!”

“Bye bye!” You automatically return, waving after them. Vanitas watches them go, then turns to look up at you, a stunned look on his face.

“Y’know, bud,” you muse, smoothing his hair out of his face, “I think we made some friends.”

“...huh,” Vanitas grunts, turning back to look up the mountain path. “I guess Ventus is okay. He’s nice.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all i have been sitting on this chapter and this fic for like months but boy i have things planned once i can actually sit down and write

**Author's Note:**

> Also shyrstyne and I are planning something biiiiiig...  
Stay tuned!  
>:D


End file.
